Ms. Marvel and Hecate Unite: Ms. Marvel #12 – December 1977
Ms. Marvel #12: "The Warrior and the Witch-Queen!"
All hell breaks loose when Hecate’s followers betray her.
This issue picks up right were the last one left off. Ms. Marvel decides to attack Hecate in response to her threat. However, Hecate followers, the Elementals, use the powers of the elements to encapsulate Ms. Marvel in a crystal cocoon, while we hear that they plan to betray their leader.
However, Ms. Marvel is a lot stronger than they anticipated and she breaks free. Also in the moment that she breaks free it looks like she is wearing long red pants. A woman breaking out of restraints, is just so metaphorical. These men, despite their powers cannot lock her, or over power her. At this moment, she is a metaphor for the modern woman.
Now, she must face Hecate who creates Warhawk out of thin air, a Kree giant warrior robot made from adamantium that can fire proton bolts. Hecate is a witch basically. Ms. Marvel takes a few hits, but eventually manages to use her Kree knowledge to defeat to Warhawk.
We get a reminder that the beach also holds a NASA tracking station. They are losing contact with Salia’s space shuttle, just like in Danvers’ vision. We also see the Elementals running away in search of an items called the Ruby Skarab, and apparently, they want it for different reasons than Hecate does.
Then we return to Ms. Marvel. Apparently, Hecate has the talent to take images from anyone’s mind and make them real. While Ms. Marvel has a new threat to deal with, Danvers fights for control. Danvers wants to save her friend Salia. Then the Elementals appear with the Ruby that enhances their powers.
Apparently, the witch-queen was too trusting of her servants, and they are not so grateful as she thought they were. Now both the witch-queen and Ms. Marvel fight against the Elementals.
While Ms. Marvel is fighting one of the Elementals, they fall into the NASA tracking station. The station just receives distress transmissions from Salia’s space shuttle.
She locks the Elemental who can control fire in a vacuum room, so he will not be able to use his powers. Her plan works.
Ms. Marvel must make a terrible choice, save Danvers’ friend or defeat the Elemental which could save all of mankind. She chooses to defeat the Elemental. A hard choice which is made to contribute to the conflict between her and Danvers.
The Elementals are apparently very bad at getting along with each other and in the end only one reminds to fight against the witch-queen, she has the power of all of the Elements, but unleashing her full power could destroy the planet.
Ms. Marvel survived a giant tidal wave, but Danvers hates her for not saving her friend. She feels that hate like physical pain: “like someone’s slices a red-hot poker through my mind.” She feels that she is losing control, but she doesn’t let Danvers take control. She must save the day first. Obviously, this will lead to an intensified version of the conflict between them.
Ms. Marvel arrives to help the witch-queen. She sneaks up behind the Elemental, the witch-queen sees it, and organizes a diversion. Ms. Marvel attacks him by surprise and an intense battle takes place. In the end they both grab the Skarab with a battle of wills. Ms. Marvel breaks free and falls with it.
Carol Danvers emerges and she is beyond furious. During this fatal fight, her friend Salia died. Now she intends to use the Skarab to kill Hecate. The issue tells us that she is mad with pain and grief. I don’t like it. She can be angry, but crazy? and for someone who hates violence so much, her reaction is very violent indeed. The issue ends with another cliffhanger.
I really liked this issue. Every time I read "witch-queen" I couldn’t help but think about the witch-king in Tolkien’s writings. Obviously, there is no connection, but the association occurs automatically at this point. I liked that we find out that the witch-queen was not a villain all along, but a complex character. That’s a first for Ms. Marvel’s book. I think Danvers’ won’t see it that way. I am surprised at her inability to see the greater good and to see her use of threat violence after showing such distaste for it. Not just violence, but death threat. This deranged, insane phase doesn’t suite her at all. But, generally speaking this issue was a lot of fun and shows that focusing on just one plot is better and an easier read.
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